Speaking at the American's for Prosperity Foundation Summit, the Republican White House hopeful criticized Clinton’s proposal for its high cost and said such a suggestion shows the Democratic presidential candidate’s lack of executive experience.

"Do you know the first question I asked? ‘How many children are born in the United States?’ Because, I was going to multiply that by the $5,000,” Giuliani said. “Because I ran a city. I've run a business. I know how to make a payroll and I know how to reduce expenses. ‘Do you know how much money it is per year?’ Twenty billion."

“Hillary, that's real money," he added. "You and Bill can't afford that. It's got to come out of somebody's pockets. You know who it comes out of?”

Giuliani went on to criticize Clinton, as well as fellow Democratic White House hopefuls Barack Obama and John Edwards charging that they are seeking "on-the- job executive training."

"In the case of the three leading Democrats, [they] have never run a city, they've never run a state, I don't think they've ever run a business," Giuliani said. "This is why they make proposals like this."

At a forum hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus last week, Clinton said, "I like the idea of giving every baby born in America a $5,000 account that will grow over time, so that when that young person turns 18, if they have finished high school, they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that down-payment on their first home."

Speaking to supporters in Chicago Thursday night, Clinton said that the proposal was only an "idea" not a policy of her presidential campaign.

"I was just trying to start a conversation, which I think is an important conversion, about how we make sure children from middle class, working families, poor families, have access to all the opportunities in life that many of us try to provide for our own children," she said. "So I am looking for a conversation and that was just an idea I threw out to see what kind of reaction I'd get."

soundoff(94 Responses)

Hillary will promise the Black Caucus anything to gain the votes of African-Americans. It is not be to taken seriously because she will divide the country over such mesaures. I prefer Senator Obama's approach to support strong families through personal responsibility for children. It takes more than money to raise a child and prepare our children to become productive, law-abiding citizens. That money should be spent improving our schools and providing heath care.

Is this a sign of desperation from the ex-mayor? So far I haven't heard one proposal at all come from his mouth, except for funding this dumbass war on a permanent basis. You know America is going to jump up and down for that one. Oh yes, and we all know who was mayor of NYC on 9/11. Got it.

Still, of all the Repubs that can possibly lose to Hillary, he probably is the one that will come closest.

Will someone from New York City please tell us how wonderful Rudi was as a mayor? He sure seems to tell us how awesome he was as the LEADER of that city. Oh, and let's not forget his "one man saving the world" after 9-11 bull-t.

Bob, You cannot group all left wing liberals together and say we do not earn and save for ourselves. I am considered extremely left winged because of my social beliefs – and for you to be so discriminatory is absolutely ignorant and frankly disgusting. I can be the same way towards you. You are a right-winged, corporate funding, conservative. Please go and save your babies, distract funding from life saving research, shun people who love each other from getting married, tax the poor the most, and have a hay-day in your oil bath.
Sucks, doesn't it?

The issue here has nothing to do with Hillary being a left winged liberal. It has to do with her unrealistic statement promising 5K to every new born in the United States. Guiliani did a fabulous job addressing this issue. Too bad he is a right winged conservative and will never get my vote.

"Well Guiliani thinks every child should get 5000 spouses, although that would still be fewer than he's had. Maybe he's against supporting kids because his own kids don't support him, or even speak to him!"

I love the hypocrisy on this site. You mention Bill the infidel and the fact that he cheats on his wife left and right

A) CNN doesn't post it
B) People freak out on you

And yet, open game on Rudy's private life. All you Hill fans should be careful. . . I am positive that the Clinton private life has many more skeletons than does Rudy's.

Hillary wants to stay in Iraq past 2013.

Torture is an option for her.

Now that she is confident in winning the primary she is moving "towards the middle" in order to get I votes. Clearly she will do and say what she has to to get nominated.

I also don't agree with the "baby bond". However, it's hard to respect Giuliani's message on the bond because he is willing to spend $150 billion a year on the Iraq war. That's alot more than the $20 billion a year this program would cost. Just compare those numbers; while a baby bond may not be the best idea, imagine how much good we could do right here at home with that money. I think the estimate was $105 billion to fix ALL of our bridges in this country. We are squandering our treasure in Iraq, but more importantly priceless young lives. And as long as Rudy Giuliani thinks this war should continue, I don't trust him to make decisions for our country, financial or otherwise.

I will vote for Hillary! this numbnuts,something about him that i dont care for... i just dont think hes believeable at all,He doesnt care about children ,see hes backing off for children already for our future....all the money going to Iraq can take care over a million children right here in the USA.Science and Math is the number 1 source to let the children learn.Its not a bad idea,its pretty thoughtfull ,its an Idea!!but my ideas on it,is the 5,000 will only be used for college after graduating High school,or buying there first home, if they dont go or intend to use it within a certain time period,its passed on to the next child.just think ,all the parents would be relieved where they dont have to save so much for there children in todays society for college or helping them to buy a home .they got there start from a well idealed Mrs. Clinton.her ideas are more realistic than any of the other hopefuls.Im voting Hillary!!! more sense for the future. One who cares for children, seniors,the poor,the middle class.of all race and color.doesnt matter who ya are she cares.

"All you Hill fans should be careful. . . I am positive that the Clinton private life has many more skeletons than does Rudy's."

That's funny, the MOST scrutinized relationship in our country's history has many more skeletons than someone who most people in the country know almost NOTHING about. Thinking with your spleen on this one.

"Hillary wants to stay in Iraq past 2013."

No one WANTS to stay in Iraq. All the reps and all three major dems (following Hillary's LEAD) say that the the place the Bushies have destroyed will take YEARS to extricate ourselves from.

"Torture is an option for her."

No, posts like this, full of slanted baseless accusations are TORTURE.

"Now that she is confident in winning the primary she is moving "towards the middle" in order to get I votes. Clearly she will do and say what she has to to get nominated."

She, unlike YOU, has a PUBLIC RECORD and a VOTING history on the issues that an INTELLIGENT person can use to help them decide about hers, and the other candidate's views.
She's refused to back down a lot for someone who will say anything to get elected. It's just another bogus claim by the anti Hillary bigots, aimed at the uninformed.

I support Rudy Giuliani on this issue.
As a parent, I would prefer to see, total health care coverage started at birth at an optional amount of $20.00 per month. The majority of our children born in the USA do not have significant health bills. Even low income families could afford the $20.00. From the total number of births each year times those monthly payments, would greatly reduce the amount paid to families that have no
insurance for those that do need medical assistance.

Republicans are very unkind people and in the end they will lose. You can't treat people like imbeciles and have them respect you. They have taken advantage of us for to long. It's time to take our country back and help the middle and poor families get back on our feet. The rich have had it all for too long.

Democrats – watch your responses...its always the same "Bush is spending billions on the war" – the war the Democrats (including Hillary) authorized – the war that the Democrats continue to fund....you have the same culpability here....yet someone has convinced you that you don't....somethings wrong....you guys need to be alittle introspective and find out how you can vote with a party that offers free donuts to the homeless for Democrat votes....and how they knew it must of been Democrat voters who could not punch a simple ballet card (or read the clear instructions that came with it) – party of the gullible?

You can't just GIVE people money. Colleges and housing costs will just rise to compensate. Economics doesn't work like this.

Economics works EXACTLY like this. We are a capitalist society fueled by consumer spending. The government fuels the economy by spending our tax dollars in a never ending trickle-down scenario, so it is a question of how they get that money into the economy.

If you give $5000 to every kid, you are distributing wealth across one of America's poorest demographics. I won't go into the huge potential this has for them, but the potential it has for the economy is undeniable.

Who to take that money from is a different question.

But to think that distributing wealth will cause housing and education to rise is a bit silly, since that implies that to housing and education affordable you need to keep Americans impoverished.

I am utterly amazed at the sheer number of people on this board completely dismissing Sen. Clinton's idea.

Is there anyone here who doesn't believe that our nation would be well-served to energize and empower our youth? Well, in a nutshell that is what she is proposing. She is saying it's time to draw a line in the sand and say "from this point forward, we are going to give our society's children the tools they need to succeed." A one-time contribution of $5000.00, prudently invested in the capital markets, would not only grow to a level where it could pay for every child to get either a college or technical education and allow them to get a start in life with either a down payment on a home or the seed capital to start a business, but it would also move investable capital into our economic system. All of these are good things.

$20B a year is a bargain if it is going to dramatically increase the liklihood of kids going to college and buying homes as young adults.

And forgive me for being cynical, but I bet many of you shouting "Go Rudy" wouldn't have been so quick to shoot this idea down if HE had proposed it.

As a New Yorker and American, I witnessed this country dramatically and deplorably become compelled to economic change and world respect again. Throughout the years, our leaders have been a disappointment, sometimes a disgrace. Men have become barbarous role models.

From the beginning of time, women have held an unfair position in society. A subject that I can, at another time, elaborate further. While Hillary may not be the greatest candidate, she is competent and the best candidate that is being offered.

Personally, I would not measure her spouse. Although, I have heard many believe that he was the best President ever. It's possible that she was the reason. I thought he was fun. Further, his presence, his office in Manhattan was a positive one. One that created successful results in an area of Manhattan that needed positive change. In an area no one else was willing to go. However, I view Hillary as an individual. Acutely focused on healthcare. Her move to New York was a strategic move, one that inspired a force for the state's capital.

Rudy merely did his job. How lazy have we become to reward one for simply doing their job? Mayor Ed Koch did an amazing job during his tenure. Do we elect him? Rudy did deal with an incredible disaster. Rudy was mayor at the time. A time when mayors preceding him worked hard for the city and so much had already been in place when Rudy became mayor. Rudy dealt with it. He did his job and that reason alone should not be the reason that we grant him presidency.

Yes, its time that we have a woman president for so many reasons its long overdue. It is not easy nor should it be taken for granted that we have Hillary as a candidate at this time. She is a very capable person. She's experienced, not only in the White House, but in the complete global political realm. She is healthy, well educated and the strong symbol that America needs. Let us finally give her the platform for intellectual freedom. It is a historic bonus that she's a woman.